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Admissions Blog: How to make sure you’re getting all the financial aid you need

Posted on October 5, 2017October 16, 2017 by Wanda Spradley

Financial aid comes in many shapes and forms — whether you receive a scholarship, a loan or employment. It can come from several sources: federal, state, foundations, the community, or the College itself. All of them help you meet your college expenses.

I like to describe it this way:

Free money: Scholarships and grants. In other words, money that does not need to be paid back.

Borrowed money: Loans. That’s money that needs to be paid back.

Earned money – A job. So, money you earn through campus employment.

You might have heard before that “billions of free money go unclaimed.” Here’s what do to claim some of that “billion”:

Check websites of colleges for the net price calculator to help you estimate your costs.

Start your outside scholarship search.

November-December

Expect your financial aid award letter in the mail.

Continue your outside scholarship search.

Wanda Spradley is the director of financial aid at Sweet Briar College, where she has been working for more than 14 years. When she isn’t meeting with students or writing award letters, Wanda can be found spending time with her family and scrapbooking. Wanda graduated from Sweet Briar in 2009.